GECOM gets thumbs up from PPP

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – The ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in a surprising turn of events has commended the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for conducting another successful registration exercise with the conclusion of the 7th Cycle of Registration on December 31, 2014.

The PPP has been very critical of the election body over the past weeks but General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee on Tuesday, January 06 not only commended GECOM but extended appreciation to persons who conducted their respective transactions during the registration period.

He however noted, “the Party is of the view that a similar professional approach by GECOM and interest of citizens should be exhibited in the upcoming Claims and Objections Period especially with the President’s indication of dissolving Parliament and announcing a date for General and Regional Elections in early 2015.”

Further, the Party welcomes recent public statements made by GECOM indicating their readiness and level of preparation to hold elections.

“GECOM’s declaration of over 6000 new registrants and almost 1500 transfers have served to further strengthen the PPP’s claim that there were large numbers of Guyanese who would have been disenfranchised after the completion of the 6th Cycle of Registration which concluded with a total of 14,900 new registrants,” Rohee reasoned.

He believes the use of the mobile units during the 7th Cycle has worked effectively and had a positive impact on those figures achieved by GECOM.

The PPP calls on GECOM to now ensure that the new registrants are properly verified and finger prints cross matched, so that the production and issuing of their National Identification Cards can be done in a timely manner. 

“GECOM must now work towards producing an OLE that is properly sanitized and clean of any discrepancies. The PPP’s objective has always been to have a list that will not disenfranchise any eligible Guyanese, paving the way for another free and fair election in Guyana. The list must be correct, clean and consistent so as to ensure that persons under the age of 18 and the dead are not listed, minimizing confusion on E-Day and speculations due to delayed announcement of the results.”

The PPP also called on all Guyanese to be conscious of the political situation existing presently and be vigilant against those bent on creating mischief and making a mockery of our democracy.

Rohee said every effort must be made to expose any and all attempts to thwart the electoral process and to demand that all major political stakeholders work towards free, fair and free from fear elections.